Converse
Converse is an American shoe company that has been manufacturing shoes since the early 1900s. The company has released some of the industry's most popular shoes, including the Converse All Star, which is the best-selling sports shoe of all time.
Brand History
Founded in 1908 by Marquis M. Converse, the shoe company is best known for the ubiquitous Converse All Star. The All Star was released in 1917, and took the name of Chuck Taylor, a well-known basketball player and enthusiast. This shoe was an smash hit, and Chuck Taylors were seen all of over the courts. Today, Converse has sold over 750 million pairs of this iconic shoe.
However, Converse has released much more than the Chuck Taylor. The Converse Jack Purcell, the signature shoe of the famous badminton champion, was another classic shoe released by company. The company has also released models such as the One Star, Roadster, and Weapon. Since their release, Converse has achieved an incredible level of popularity spanning many cultural groups. The shoe has been adopted by basketball players, skaters, sports stars, and rock stars alike.
Despite the companys early success, the brand started to struggly in the 1980s and was facing difficult financial issues in the late 1990s. This provided the perfect opportunity for Nike to acquire the company and add Converse to their collection of subsidiaries.